African health ministers address traditional medicine

A dated epidemiological report describes verification that onchocerciasis transmission had ended in Colombia.

Years of treatment with ivermectin and surveillance preceded the first national verification.

Onchocerciasis, carried by black flies, can cause skin disease and loss of vision.

The date is the publication of WHO’s verification report, not the day the last person was treated.

Publication date: WHO described health ministers’ regional decisions covering traditional medicine as well as women’s health and other priorities.

Publication date: the regional committee report treated traditional care alongside public health systems and other concerns.

Publication date: decisions recorded by WHO concerned governance and planning, not clinical endorsement of any remedy.

Publication date: a WHO report from Lichinga described discussions about traditional care and its relation to institutional medicine.

Publication date: the Lichinga account described the inauguration of land for sustainable cultivation of plants used by traditional practitioners.

Publication date: institute director Felisbela Gaspar took part in the Lichinga gathering described by WHO.